Rush Brevard Wood

Rush Brevard Wood

Rush Brevard Wood, 1847-1932

• Father: Green Mark Wood b. 7 September 1814, d. 5 March 1898
• Mother: Mary Jane LeGrand b. 23 January 1830, d. 19 March 1900

• Rush Brevard Wood was born on 31 January 1847 in Montgomery County, Alabama.
• When the Wood family traveled to Texas by water in 1850, Mary Jane LeGrand Wood and children joined them on the steamer at Selma. It is an educated guess that for some time prior to the relocation she and the children were staying with Letitia Ann McNair (daughter of Green's cousin Ashley Wood) who raised Mary Jane's sister Margaret LeGrand.
• On Sunday, 26 May 1850, Green Wood recorded: "A very fine day, had Green & wife & Rush to dinner."
• Green Mark Wood and Mary Jane LeGrand appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Walker County, Texas, near Danville.. Other members of the household included Rush Brevard Wood, Solomon William Wood.
• On Sunday, 30 June 1850, Green Wood recorded: "Green M. Wood & wife & children & Willis B. Wood wife children & Duncan G. Campbell all Dined with us to day at the new place."
• On Sunday, 4 August 1850, Green Wood recorded: "As usual Green & his wife & children spent the day with us."
• On Sunday, 8 September 1850, Green Wood recorded: "A very pleasant day. Green & Willis & their Familys Spent the day here."
• On Sunday, 22 September 1850, Green Wood recorded: "A beautiful day, all in fine health. Mr & Mrs Carothers, Green & Wife & Willis & wife & all their Children & Mr Powell spent the day with us."
• On Sunday, 3 November 1850, Green Wood recorded: "G. M. & W. B. Wood & their fameley's with us & some Gentlemen from Grimes County."
• Sam Reed
  entered into an agreement on 31 December 1850 with William M. Barrett to do all the brick work of Austin College, for the sum of $750.00, to be completed by 1 January 1852. The building, whose cornerstone was laid on Saint John's day, 24 June 1851, was constructed of soft sand-molded bricks forged at the state penitentiary. It still stands as "Austin Hall" at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Green Wood's son Campbell attended Austin College from 1855 to 1857. Sam Reed's daughter Mattie married Green Wood's grandson Solomon Wm Wood in 1873, and the following year Sam's daughter Katie married Green's grandson Rush Brevard Wood. On 28 November 1851, Green Wood "Paid Daniel Baker $50, my subscription to Austin College."
• Evelina Wood wrote on 14 May 1855, to her daughter Lizzie Powell, undergoing treatment for cancer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee: ". . . Mary Jane has another son born the 8th of May she call him Milton Le Grand, he favors all the rest, will be very dark-skinned -- Rush & Solomon go to school, they are fond of it. Mary Jane is doing finely, Leah waited on her all last week. . . ." Letter in private collection of B. M. Henwood, descendant of Wm Wood Powell; original transcription by R. E. Reichardt.
• Green Mark Wood and Mary Jane LeGrand appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Danville PO, Walker County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rush Brevard Wood, Solomon William Wood, Robert Cummings Wood, Martha Frances P. Wood, Milton LeGrand Wood and George Scovell Wood.
• On Sunday, 31 August 1862, Green Wood recorded: "Started Eason Willis Wood and Rush Brevard Wood to Mr. James K. Markee,s school, Plantersville, yesterday, 30th."
• On Wednsday, 26 November 1862, Green Wood recorded: "Sent Bob to Markey's after Rush Wood & other Boys."
• R. B. Wood enlisted in March 1864 at the age of seventeen in Captain Horatio White Fisher's Company (Co. G), Tom Green's Brigade, 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment (7th Texas Mounted Volunteers). He served with the unit until it was surrendered on 26 May 1865.
• On 7 October 1864, Mary Jane LeGrand wrote to Rush Brevard Wood:
  My Darling Son: I have been feeling quite uneasy about you. We heard you were sick from eating fruit. Do my dear child take care of yourself and you must feel no hesitancy in going to Mr. Spyker's if you should get sick or wounded. Your Pa has written to Mr. Spyker concerning you. They are most excellent people. You will feel perfectly at home there, and no doubt he would take pleasure in having the son of his old friend with him. Should you get back to Louisiana, Mr. Cummings Post Office is Collinsburg. . . . Miss Sarah has made Jack and yourself each a hat. . . . Give my love to Jack. Tell him if he should get sick he must call on Mr. Spyker. I forgot to mention it when I was speaking of it. . . .
• On 3 December 1864, Green Mark Wood wrote to Rush Brevard Wood:
  My Dear Son: I returned home day before yesterday after an absence of three weeks in the Reserve Corps. All were well when I arrived. Campbell was taken sick yesterday and your mother has chills every two or three weeks. The school is out and Solomon will be home today.
       We caught a good many deserters and conscripts in the Big Thicket. We get very little news now. We have not heard a word from you since Jack Williamson's letter just after the arrival of Capt. Raney Fisher. Old Lincoln is elected and the war will probably go on for years to come. So you may make up your mind to remain in the service for years to come. I regret it on account of my children. I shall not be able to give them an education. And I fear should it end you will not feel like going to school.
       I am looking for Mr. Cummings out here. He and his mother-in-law and brother-in-law are going to move out with all their negroes some 700 to get out of the way of the Yankees. . . .
• Green Mark Wood and Mary Jane LeGrand appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rush Brevard Wood, Solomon William Wood, Robert Cummings Wood, Martha Frances P. Wood, Milton LeGrand Wood, George Scovell Wood, Campbell Clark Wood and Green Alexander Wood.
• He was a farm hand, according to the 1870 census.
• He married Katie Bertha Reed, daughter of Samuel Reed and Martha Frances Harrison, on 4 November 1874 in Huntsville, Walker County, Texas.
• Rush Brevard Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Walker County, Texas, and also farm worker Daniel D King.. Other members of the household included Katie Bertha Reed, Mattie Malinda Wood, Charles Abercrombie Wood and George Mark Wood.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1880 census.
• Rush Brevard Wood became a widower at the 9 January 1896 death of his wife Katie Bertha Reed.
• With all their children in town for Green Mark and Mary Jane's 50th wedding anniversary celebration in April 1896, it is likely that this was the occasion for the photograph of their five surviving sons, treasured more than a hundred years later by all of their descendants.
• He married Mahalah J. Hamilton, daughter of Alexander C. Hamilton and Elizabeth Lacey, on 13 September 1896 in Grimes County, Texas.
• The following appeared on 23 February 1899 in The Daily Examiner: Messrs. Solomon and Rush Wood, of Dolph, are here.
• Rush Brevard Wood and Mahalah J. Hamilton appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Katie Bertha Wood, Carrie Brevard Wood, Cornelia LeGrand Wood, Felix Clark Garner and William Henry Garner.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1900 census.
• Rush Brevard Wood served as a Grimes County Commissioner for Precinct 2, 1908-1912.
• Rush Brevard Wood became a widower at the 1908 death of his wife Mahalah J. Hamilton.
• Rush Brevard Wood appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Grimes County, Texas, living alone, next to his daughter Katie McCune.
• He was a farmer, according to the 1910 census.
• Members of the Haynie and Wood families, and some neighbors, were photographed in front of "the Haynie hotel" in Richards, about 1911.
• About 1915, R. C. Wood and his brother Rush were caught in a snapshot.
• Howard Efford McCune and Carrie Brevard Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Richards, Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rush Brevard Wood, Clark Brevard McCune and Robert Efford McCune.
• A photograph was taken, about 1922, of Rush Brevard Wood, his uncle "Big" Rush, and cousin Goree Wood and his sons Sam Madeley and Goree Jr.
• Howard Efford McCune and Carrie Brevard Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Anderson Richards, Grimes County, Texas. Other members of the household included Rush Brevard Wood, Robert Efford McCune.
• Rush Brevard Wood died on 1 December 1932 at age 85 in Richards, Grimes County, Texas, . His death was officially witnessed by Howard Efford McCune.
• He was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Grimes County, Texas, near Richards.

• Last Edited: 10 May 2013

• Charts: Descendants of ABERCROMBIE Charles & Edwina Malinda "Dicey" Booth, Descendants of LeGRAND John & Margaret Chambers, Descendants of WOOD William & Lydia Ballentine